Joan Ryan MP welcomes Mayor's tough, new strategy to tackle knife crime on Enfields streets

During her contribution to the Queen’s Speech debate Joan Ryan urged the Government to provide a policy response to the rise in knife crime, with a focus on prevention, education and more visible policing, including a “new, workable, responsible stop and search policy.” Ms Ryan’s calls have been answered by Sadiq Khan’s comprehensive ‘Knife Crime Strategy’ which consists of measures to target lawbreakers – like support for Metropolitan police officers to use “more targeted, intelligence-led stop and search” – keep deadly weapons off our streets, protect and educate young people, increase support to young victims of crime and provide more financial resources to empower communities to help solve this problem. Joan Ryan will also be joining with Mr Khan to call on the Government to reverse cuts to youth services, which play such an important role in supporting young Londoners and tackling knife crime. London has lost £22 million in youth funding since 2011, with Enfield losing £1.6 million over the past two years alone, as a result of Government cuts to councils. Joan Ryan MP said: “We all know the horrific consequences of knife crime here in Enfield and we are all working to stop young people carrying knives. Having discussed these issues directly with Sadiq Khan in Enfield and at City Hall, his new plan is a really important step forward in helping to address the scourge of knife crime on our streets. Working with the Mayor of London, our community has been able to secure a commitment to get 21 more local ward-based officers in place by the end of this year to help fight this problem. And I’ll be working alongside Sadiq, local residents and community groups, as well as the police to help put this strategy into action. Instead of dragging its feet on this issue, the Government needs to buck its ideas up, support the Mayor’s plan and reverse the cuts to our youth services and police to help keep our neighbourhoods safe.”